The Rookie Season 7's Major Character Departure Explained By Showrunner (2025)

Following a six-month hiatus, The Rookie season 7 returns to ABC on Tuesday, January 7 with one major change, which has now been addressed by the series' showrunner. In August 2024, Tru Valentino announced that he would not be returning as Officer Aaron Thorsen for The Rookie season 7, despite playing a major role in the series since season 4. The news came as a disappointment to fans, given how easily he fit into Mid-Wilshire's pre-established group dynamic, thanks to an engaging personality and unique background within the team.

When speaking with ScreenRant, showrunner Alexi Hawley was asked if Aaron may return to The Rookie at some point down the line. He responds optimistically, affirming that the exit was not at all due to the actor's lack of ability. While Hawley would love to have Valentino back in some capacity, he felt The Rookie season 7 needed to pivot due to its current creative trajectory. Check out his full quote below:

ScreenRant: We know Aaron is not in the upcoming episodes. Is there any chance that he could return to the show down the line?

Alexi Hawley: Of course. Tru [Valentino] is a great actor, and he was a huge part of our show for several seasons, and so we'd love to have him back in some capacity. It just ultimately felt like, creatively, for where the show was going, that we needed to pivot a bit. But he's still very much alive in our universe.

Fans Likely Haven't Seen The Last Of Him

Although it may not be any time soon, as long as Aaron still exists within the police procedural's universe, he can easily be integrated back into the storyline. The show has already taken the opportunity to incorporate characters from The Rookie: Feds following the spinoff's cancelation. Viewers will have to wait until season 7 premieres to discover Aaron's whereabouts, but as long as the character remains alive and Valentino is open to returning, it's likely that he'll cross paths with the Mid-Wilshire team in the future.

However, it does leave a hole in the cast of The Rookie because of how easily he fit within the team, despite getting introduced so late into the show. Aaron's unique background as a rich Internet celebrity and former murder suspect offered an engaging backstory that felt very different from the other rookie cops on the team. But while his characterization was unconventional, he still proved himself an important part of the LAPD, getting promoted to Police Officer II with John Nolan's (Nathan Fillion) help in season 5.

He also has an important connection to Detective Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox), who originally trained him in season 4 prior to her maternity leave. This connection to her never wavered, though, as he proved himself an important part of the other characters' lives up through The Rookie season 6 finale. While it's still unclear how Aaron will be exiting the show, the door is open for his potential return, even if Valentino's decision to leave means it might not happen anytime soon. With his presence being so important, the change will be felt long after his departure.

Valentino's Absence Will Be Felt In The Rookie Season 7

Aaron Has Formed Significant Bonds With The Main Cast Of Characters

Because Aaron was first introduced in the aftermath of Jackson's (Titus Makin Jr.) death, it was difficult to accept another main character into the fold so soon after the tragic event. However, his compassionate personality and comedic nature became exactly what The Rookie needed following the major tragedy. Aaron formed genuine connections with everyone in the department, even paralleling Lucy (Melissa O'Neil) by seeing past the hardened front Tim (Eric Winter) displays. His kindness and comedy offers levity even during the team's darkest hours, making him an oftentimes necessary foil for some of the events that occur.

No matter who he was paired with, Aaron was versatile enough to be both a confidant and a light-hearted presence depending on what the situation called for. His friendship with Celina (Lisseth Chavez) starting in season 5 became a focal point of both characters' storylines, and while they faced many obstacles, their bond remained deeply meaningful. Their relationship is reflective of how connected he is to everyone on LAPD, and how important his presence has been since he debuted. Regardless of how the show chooses to address it, Aaron's absence will surely be felt in The Rookie season 7.

Read More About What To Expect From The Rookie Season 7

Big Storylines Arrive In The Wake Of Aaron's Departure

While Aaron will add to the number of missing characters from The Rookie going forward, the story still has many moving parts that will be focused on despite his departure. The most prominent of these is Monica (Bridget Regan) still being on the run, having broken both Oscar (Matthew Glave) and Jason (Steve Kazee) out of prison. Jason's escape poses a threat to his ex-wife, Bailey (Jenna Dewan), and, by extension, John, who will likely be on high alert following his escape.

While The Rookie season 7's first trailer didn't directly address these larger story beats, Aaron's absence was noticeable, made all the more mysterious because his fate remains unclear. Since he'll likely be written off with the door open, as Hawley's statement indicates, his final fate probably won't be as tragic as characters like Jackson. Instead, some threads may remain loose for his potential return, even if it's not going to happen in the upcoming episodes.

The Rookie season 7 premieres Tuesday, January 7 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Your Rating

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

6/10

45

9.2/10

The Rookie

TV-14

Crime

The Rookie follows John Nolan, a small-town man who, after a significant life event, becomes the oldest rookie at the Los Angeles Police Department. As he begins his policing career, Nolan faces skepticism from his superiors, testing his resolve to succeed in this challenging new role.

Release Date

October 16, 2018

Main Genre

Comedy

Network

ABC

Cast

Nathan Fillion, Eric Winter

Character(s)

John Nolan, Tim Bradford, Angela Lopez, Wade Grey, Nyla Harper, Wesley Evers, Jackson West, Bailey Nune, Officer Quigley Smitty, Aaron Thorsen, Celina Juarez, Tamara Colins, Talia Bishop, Capt. Zoe Andersen, James Murray, Officer Jan, Chris Sanford, Nurse Lisa, Dr. Grace Sawyer, Monica Stevens, Det. Nick Armstrong

Creator(s)

Alexi Hawley

Seasons

7

Writers

Alexi Hawley

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu

Directors

Toa Fraser

Showrunner

Alexi Hawley